Furry Little Problem
by popcorn1001
Summary: Remus' Furry Little Problem is a big deal. But not to his friends Sirius, Peter and James. They care about who he is not what he is. Our favourite werewolf shares his memories while working underground. Set in HBP, eventual LE&JP and RL&NT.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I didn't like the 6th HP book, but I did like the part when Harry and Remus were talking about him being a werewolf, this is an idea from that part of the book that has evolved into a story. Enjoy! Anything in italics is a flash back.

**Furry Little Problem**

Lupin's PoV

"But you are normal!" said Harry fiercely." you've just got a- a problem-"

I burst out laughing.

Thinking carefully I replied, "Sometimes you remind me a lot of James. He called it my 'furry little problem' in company. Many people were under the impression I owned a badly behaved rabbit."

**A Few Days Later**

Here I am dwelling on thoughts. About my furry little problem. As I think it over, it's not exactly a very little problem. In fact it's an amazingly huge problem, though I must admit it's very furry. Painful too.

Seeing as I'm living with my own kind, werewolves yes, and I get a lot of thinking time. Though my robes get shabbier and my hair gets greyer, turning into a werewolf is no easier.

I almost wish I had Severus to make me the Wolfsbane Potion for me. But I am glad to be rid of his teasing. As I had recently said to Harry, I neither like nor dislike Severus. As for him letting my furry little problem escape, well I'm not worried about that.

I sigh, the full moon approaches, but this time I will be with the other werewolves. I smiled sadly to myself, how I wish I could go back to being a carefree teenager, how I wish Padfoot, and Prongs, would be by my side planning our next adventure, maybe discovering new passageways. But the past cannot be undone and Sirius and James are gone.

Thinking, my thoughts turn to memories. Memories, horrible memories, and joyful ones, but all one's I will never forget.

_I was a very small child, sitting outside looking up at the stars a favourite pastime of mine; I was no more than five. It was a full moon. Suddenly I heard a howl. _

_I did not think too much of this. There were always animals howling and fighting in the forest near my house. I lived in a very deserted area so howling was common._

_I stood up suddenly. The hair on the back of my neck was prickling. I turned around quickly coming face to face with a very furry wolfish creature. I knew at once it was a werewolf. I knew I should run but I was frozen._

_As if it were slow motion the werewolf's teeth were upon my chest biting through flesh and cloth. I screamed and crumpled to the ground._

My parents found me outside after worrying about me when I didn't come when they called me in. I was sent immediately into St. Mungo's. They didn't think I would pull through. Maybe it would have been better if I hadn't. Sirius would have scolded me for those thoughts.

Even so, I knew now I couldn't go to Hogwarts with the other kids. I wasn't safe; I couldn't be trusted to be near the other kids. What if I attacked them?

Sadly I watched the kids in the nearby wizarding village go off to school one by one. Finally I turned eleven, I should have been joyful but I wasn't. I knew I couldn't get a letter to come to Hogwarts. So you can imagine how surprised I was when I saw an elegant looking tawny owl approaching my house.

_It was just after a full moon, and a particularly painful transformation. I was feeling weak and so I had sat my self in front of the sunshiny window in the kitchen. I had turned eleven in May, and I knew this summer my letter would come. I didn't know that the letters were being sent that day. I hadn't associated with anyone since the incident. _

_I gazed out the window longingly when I saw a shape approach; my parents were out, no doubt looking for a cure. But the owl couldn't be for me._

_I was shocked when the owl landed in front of me, leg out; the letter attached was addressed to; _

**Remus Lupin  
Kitchen Table  
7 Forest Street**

_I shakily took the letter and opened it. It said I was a wizard and then it said that I was to come to Hogwarts on the First of September by the train! Behind that was a list of spell books and behind that there was a note that read:_

_Dear Mr. and Mrs. Lupin_

_I, Professor Albus Dumbledore, have carefully considered letting Remus into Hogwarts with his condition. I am sure that if we take the necessary precautions, on the night of the full moon, than no harm can come to him or the other students. _

_I look forward to seeing him on the train this September._

_All the best,_

_Professor A.P.W.B. Dumbledore  
Headmaster of Hogwarts_

_Just then my mother opened the door. "Remus, honey," she called, "We're back!"_

_I ran to the door to show her my letter and shouted excitedly, "Mum! Mum! I'm going to Hogwarts! Look at my letter!"_

"_Don't be silly Remus!" my dad chided, "You know you can't go,"_

"_But look!" I protested showing him the letter, a huge grin on my face. It was the happiest day of my life._

It was a joyful time, but suddenly I began to worry about my studies and my friends. I had never had any friends in my life. Being a werewolf, I preferred not too. It was much safer.

Faster, and faster the days flew by, until finally, September First arrived. My parents had spoken with Dumbledore, a week prior to my leave, and they said that everything could be taken care of. I was very glad, at least now I knew I could learn how to do spells, and oh how I loved my spell books.

I will never forget my first train ride, the day I met, James Potter, Sirius Black, Peter Pettigrew, and of course, Lily Evans.

My parents had left, my trunk was on the train, and I had found an empty compartment way at the back, I sat down and opened my trunk.

_Pulling out Beginners Guide to Transfiguration I began to read. This book told me how I could transfigure matches into needles, and how as I got older and the lessons got more complicated I would learn how to turn furniture into animals, and vice versa._

_Suddenly the compartment door slid open just as the train was starting to move. "Hey, can I sit here?" A guy with messy black hair asked._

"_Sure," I replied going back to my book._

"_OI! SIRIUS! PETER! I FOUND A SPOT FOR US TO SIT!" He called back into the other compartment._

_Suddenly this boy was joined by two others, one, tall and handsome with silky black hair, and the other short, and rather chubby, with thin blonde hair and watery blue eyes._

"_Finally James!" the black haired boy said plopping himself down across form me, "It took you forever to find a compartment mate!"_

"_It did not!" the messy haired boy, I guessed was James, replied, "It didn't take me long at all Sirius! Right peter?" he asked turning to the blonde boy._

_The blonde boy looked from James to Sirius, clearly not wanting to disagree with either of them._

"_Well, um, James, it did, sort of take you a long time…" Peter mumbled._

"_HA!" Sirius said triumphantly_

_James looked crest fallen._

"_But it didn't take you forever!" the Peter boy said to James._

"_HA!" James slouch straightened and a grin appeared on his face._

_I rolled my eyes. They all sat down around the compartment, there was a very awkward silence and then the guy named James slapped himself on the forehead. _

"_Oh yeah!" he said, "I'm James Potter." _

"_Sirius Black," the black haired one, ironically, said._

"_Peter Pettigrew," said the small, watery-eyed boy quietly._

"_Remus Lupin," I replied. "Is it your first year here too?"_

"_Yeah," they all replied._

"_I can't wait to start playing some pranks!" said James evilly._

"_My pranks will be better than yours!" Sirius boasted._

_Suddenly a girl with waist length red hair and emerald eyes came into the compartment._

"_I don't think you should be pranking anyone!" she said, "It's an honour to go to Hogwarts, and you'll get in trouble!"_

"_So what?" James said bluntly._

"_You don't want a detention do you?" the girl asked._

"_Who cares? It's only a detention!" Sirius replied._

_I spoke up, "Just as long as you don't involve me with the pranks I don't care what you to do, I however don't want a detention."_

_As if the girl had noticed me for the first time she came and sat beside me. "Lily Evans, I'm muggle-born! Oh what are you reading? Is that one of our books? I can't wait to start lessons."_

"_Remus Lupin," I replied, "I can't wait either,"_

"_Evans! James Potter! Do you know what house you'll be in?" James asked._

_Lily looked coldly at him, "No, Potter I don't."_

It's hard to imagine those two actually getting together. Especially at that age, it's amazing that they ended up getting married and having a baby boy. Amazing, but not impossible.

I couldn't wait to start at Hogwarts, and once I did, I loved it there. But I must stop talking, I am supposed to be spying, I think Greyback might be visiting tonight. I understand that he is now biting children at anytime. I shudder to think of all those poor children.

End

A/N: Once again, I must reiterate that I have permission from Loves-To-Write-Ready-To-Listen to repost this. Also, I do not own any HP characters. R&R!


	2. Chapter 2

**Furry Little Problem**

_I was delighted. I could not believe that I was here, at Hogwarts, finally. I hadn't dared to hope this dream would come true, but already, I had made friends, and though I knew my... condition... must remain a secret, I finally had a chance to be a normal kid._

_I glanced impatiently at the stool on which a student sat, wearing an old-looking hat, that every few minutes shouted one of the four houses named. I looked quickly toward the Gryffindor table, where my new-found friend, Sirius Black, had found a spot. I looked at James Potter, another friend, who was bouncing up and down on his toes, clearly as impatient as I was. Peter Pettigrew was behind me, a small shy quiet boy, that I was sure I would call him a friend soon. Suddenly, a horrifying thought occurred to me, what if the other three were sorted into the same house and I was not? _

_I took a deep breath, and looked up at the enchanted ceiling, that I had read about in Hogwarts: A History, my father after all had been in Ravenclaw, my mother attended Beauxbatons. All this of course, had been shared on the train, James pride in Gryffindor, Peter seeming nervous, and Sirius fearful that his blood would guarantee him a spot in Slytherin. Yet Sirius Black part of the pure-blood family that claimed so arrogantly to be Toujours Pur, sat shocked and surprised, but grinning at the Gryffindor table._

_I would be next, the next out of our newly-formed group of friends to be sorted. I was still looking at the ceiling when McGonagall called my name, and I hurried toward the stool. I sat down eagerly._

"_**Remus Lupin, you are a werewolf." **__A voice said inside my head, I knew it was the Sorting Hat, knew that everyone was waiting for the hats announcement, "__**Many have died from the curse of the wolf, and many more have taken their own lives, you show much bravery, to face this terrible, horrible part of you, especially at such a young age. Bravery is definitely a sign that you should be in GRYFFINDOR!"**__ The hat shouted the last word, and I stood up joyfully, removing the hat, and jogging towards the Gryffindor table, taking a seat next to Sirius, and watching the rest of the Sorting Ceremony with a huge smile on my face._

I frowned, wishing I was able to write, able to write to Harry, who ought to know every memory I have of his father and mother and our time at Hogwarts. It was constraining, difficult to stay in this place, to have no contact with the outside world, to be shut in here with my own kind day after day.

I often saw Greyback, the werewolf who had bitten me; I was disgusted at the bragging that he had been biting all the time now, not containing himself to the full moon, which was bad enough. I could not reveal myself of course, as I am an extremely wanted member of the Order of the Phoenix. I had disguised my human appearance, my grey-streaked brown hair, a reddish-gold colour, my face scruffy from lack of shaving, with reddish-gold stubble, it was tiring to keep the charm up, and I longed for wizards, humans, and not these werewolves who were animals by all rights.

The full moon had come and gone, and I was easily able to pass information about Greyback along to Dumbledore, though I longed to reveal myself and duel him, I knew I mustn't. I know now, how horrible it must have been for Sirius, my late friend, to be cooped up inside of Grimmauld Place, I was longing for some human company, as the werewolves were always wary of newcomers, though I had been here for almost half-a-year, I was still the newest member of what Greyback referred to at the pack.

I often reflected on my conversation with Harry at Christmastime, and was sorely disappointed we could not have discussed it further. And so, I spent my time here, underground with the werewolves, trying to get information but not to give myself away, and in the nights when it was not a full moon and I was unable to sleep, I lived through memories, and during the day, the memories of my lost friends kept me alive, for I knew that all of them had protected Harry, as I protected him in this small way now. The werewolves were for the most part on Voldemort's side, and if Harry was bitten or killed by one of them, surely all hope would be lost. It would've been the same had I bitten my friends, I remember when Sirius and James sat me down and told me I was a werewolf... as if I hadn't known it.

_The first full moon while I was in Hogwarts was the one I was so nervous for. I knew I had to make an excuse, to slip out of the watchful eyes of Sirius and James, two of the smartest in our year. I would no doubt have to make an excuse sooner or later, they would figure it out. I knew they would. However, that first night, it was James who suggested my leaving._

_I was sitting at a table, with my Tranfiguration essay spread in front of me, though for the past half-hour I had been trying to think of an excuse to leave, and go down to the Hospital Wing, where Madam Pomfrey would lead me to the Whomping Willow. Sirius and James sat nearby, playing wizards chess, while Peter watched them, awestruck._

_I sighed, putting my quill down and rubbing my temple. In just fifteen minutes I was expected to be at the hospital wing, I shivered at the thought, and then saw James looking curiously at me. "Hey, Remus, are you alright?"_

"_Yeah, you're looking a little pale, Remus." Sirius replied. _

_Well, of course I look a little pale, I thought to myself. I'm going to turn into a werewolf in just a few short hours, I bit my tongue. "...go to the Hospital Wing?" James voice re-entered my thought._

"_Sorry James, drifted off there, what did you say?" I replied._

"_He said that maybe you should go to the Hospital Wing, Remus!" Peter piped up, happy to be a part of the conversation._

"_You know what? I think I will go up to the Hospital Wing." I said and I stood and left the common room, for the first in what would be many of my trips to the Shrieking Shack._

I sat tight at the Burrow, the current headquarters, at least until we figured out what to do about Grimmauld Place. I looked around; I had been one of the earliest to arrive, sitting here, without Sirius, felt wrong, as it had, every time a meeting had been held since his death.

"Remus, dear, eat something." Molly Weasley said, as she handed me a plate of steaming food.

"Thanks, Molly, when are the others expected to arrive?"

"Well, Arthur is on his way home now," and she pointed to her clock where Arthur's hand read traveling, "And Moody & Tonks, are on their way as well. Mundungus is going to be late, as usual," she sniffed disapprovingly, "And, I'm not sure about everyone else, though Bill and Fleur should be here soon." I noticed that Bill's hand, too, pointed to traveling.

As if to prove her point, not one, but all the people Molly had just mentioned walked into the kitchen and sat around the table. Tonks took a seat across from, her eyes cast downward, earlier in the year we had had an argument, and I think I may have greatly offended her.

Moody sat beside her, scanning the table, he nodded at me. "Alastor," I acknowledged, nodding my head in return. Everyone else scrambled to their seats. Just as I was about to give my report, Kingsley and Mundungus walked in. Mundungus sat down as far away from Molly's glare, while Kingsley in his deep and calming voice apologized for being late.

"I'm sorry for being tardy, everyone," Kingsley announced, "But I'm afraid I bring bad news, Greyback has attacked again, the child did not make it."

I hung my head, silent, I was supposed to be spying, yet I had no idea that Greyback was planning to attack again. "It's not your fault Remus." Tonks whispered, and reached across to touch my hand, which I quickly snatched away. Tonks blushed, frowned and her hair gave a feeble attempt to turn red, before falling back into the mousy brown. I frowned as well, this was not my fault, I could not control her feelings, nor had mine changed.

"... Remus, do you have any new information?" Kingsley asked me, and I jumped startled.

"I do, actually. The werewolves are for the most part, on Voldemort's side," I saw Molly flinch at the name, and continued, "However, I have heard rumours that there are a few rogue werewolves, and that Greyback is planning to have them murdered, I'm trying to find out names, Greyback has finally inducted me, and so I can now be a part of the homicide."

I tuned the rest of the meeting out, I knew Voldemort was murdering innocent Muggles, and though I longed to protect them, I knew I served the order best as a ready-made werewolf spy. I frowned again, deep in thought, and looked up only in time for Moody to say, "That's it then? Same time next week?" We all agreed, and slowly people filed out of the Burrow, Tonks left just before I did.

"Goodnight Molly," she said, avoiding my eye, "Thanks for everything." She walked a little ways away from the Burrow, turned on the spot and with a loud crack Disapparated.

Molly gave me a stern look, "I really think you should give her a chance Remus, she's really quite-"

"Molly, I can't." I cut her off, unwilling to talk about it, "And I really must be going, thank you for dinner though it was delicious."

I walked to the same spot Nymphadora Tonks and stood in seconds before and turned on the spot, feeling the usual discomfort of Disapparting. I appeared in the forest, metres away from the literal underground hideout of the werewolves, and ran stealthily the rest of the distance, before slipping into my tiny space, in the corner of the hollow beneath the tree, that reminded my forcibly of the tunnel beneath the Whomping Willow. There, I remembered the first time my friends had confronted me about my monthly disappearances, the first time that I had told them the lie about visiting my mother, who was very sick.

_I slid quietly into the History of Magic Class, Professor Binns did not even notice. I had been gone for a total of three days; this past transformation had taken its toll. I had bitten myself, and one bite had been quite severe, I was also greatly bruised._

_Sirius and James both glanced up as me, as I arrived, their faces questioning. It would have to wait though, or so I thought. Suddenly, a charmed paper plane landed on my desk. I struggled to decipher the chicken scratch that could only have been James, Sirius' pureblood had at least had some good effect: he had excellent penmanship._

_**Where have you been?**__ The note read. I looked quickly up at Professor Binns, and deciding that he could not be any more boring, and I had already missed half the lesson, so note taking now would be pointless, and scribble a response back.__** My mother is ill; I went home to visit her. **__I glanced around again, before I tossed the plane back to James, Sirius intercepted it. __**Where are all the bruises from? **__I grimaced ,I had been hoping, but not really believing, that they wouldn't notice. __**Fell down a flight of stairs. **__I threw it back in James direction, but my lack of aim made the plane land directly on Lily Evans desk._

_James eyes widened and he shook his head frantically, but Lily opened the note, read it then glanced over at me, and smiled sympathetically. Then to my surprise, she wrote something on the note, and threw it back to me, I caught it in unsteady hands and read it. __**I'm sorry about your mother Remus, I hope she feels better soon, and you should get Madam Pomfrey to look at those bruises, I'm sure she could heal them no problem. **__The bell rang, and I stuffed the note into my bag, and walked out of the door, James behind me complaining he hadn't even seen my answer._

* * *

_A/N: R&R?_


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: Don't know if anyone's even read this story since I haven't updated it in three years but I hope this new chapter will help get some more readers and that I will have an easier time updating now.**

* * *

**Furry Little Problem: Chapter 3**

Greyback had spoken directly to me. He had actually listed off three or four names of rogue werewolves and insisted I find them and bring them back to him. I was thankful in some ways, and fearful in others. This was the information that I had been waiting for, this meant that I had permission to leave the pack and "hunt these disgraces down and kill them" as Greyback had ordered.

Of course, I had no intention of hunting down and murdering these rogue werewolves. Well, I was going to hunt them, just so I could find and warn them of Greyback's intentions. Perhaps if I was lucky, I could persuade them to join the order. I knew of course, that if I were to warn them, I would never be able to return to this pack. That in itself was a great relief.

I did not like the way these werewolves lived. I did not enjoy how they worshipped the full moon and counted down the days until they could destroy and slaughter. I dreaded it. I hated the gross state in which they could live; the living quarters were not my idea of clean. Most of the werewolves did not even bother with clothes and bathing regularly was most certainly not a part of their lifestyle. They ate raw meat savagely blood dripping down their naked forms and they growled at each other on a regular basis. They often got into what started out as play fighting and wrestling but quickly turned into real fighting with or without the help of an approaching full moon. These fights always ended in injury and sometimes death. I could not wait to be amongst the living again instead of living through my memories of people who were now long gone (or not so long gone in Sirius' case).

* * *

_I had known it was too good to be true. I had known that this happiness could not last. I had known that somehow things would all come crumbling down around me. But that was alright, I was used to being alone, to having no friends. When I returned from the Hospital Wing one night, covered in scratches and bruises after a particularly bad May night (it was now June), I was accosted by James and Sirius, each of them grabbing one of my arms._

_My heart beat fast against my chest. I hoped this would just be some sort of prank they were playing on me. Sirius and James marched me over to my bunk, pushed me down so I was sitting on the edge of the bed and sat down on either side of me. From a bunk away I heard the soft sound of Peter's snores._

"_Remus…" Sirius began but he trailed off, his serious tone making my heart triple its speed._

_James continued for him, "We know Remus…we know."_

"_Know what?" I asked feigning ignorance and hating the squeaky pitch my voice reached, hoping they would mistake it for puberty and not betrayal._

"_C'mon," Sirius whispered, "You know what we mean… we know." He repeated._

"_Know what?" I asked again, having to force my voice out of my suddenly dry mouth._

"_For Merlin's sake," James sighed. Keeping one hand glued on my arm he used the other to pinch the bridge of his nose and push his glasses up, "Remus, you're a werewolf." On my other side, Sirius nodded, pushing a pile of papers towards me._

_I hesitated, wondering why they were both still here and not running in the opposite direction or at the very least not kicking me out of their dorm room. I looked at the papers that now sat on my lap._

_The first page was dated November 2__nd__ 1971. It was James' messy handwriting that read, 'R. ill again, getting worried, hope it's not serious.'_

_The next page was the long loopy letters of Sirius hand, 'Dec. 2__nd__, R. disappeared last night, left us a note saying his mother was ill and he wouldn't be back until after Christmas break…. Trunk still here, suspicious.'_

_It went on like that, alternating in his two friends writing 'Jan. 31__st__, R. returns from Hospital Wing but he doesn't look better…in fact he looks worse, bruises covering his face. We know you didn't fall down the stairs.'_

'_Feb. 29__th__, leap year… R. sick AGAIN, getting worried…should I write his Mum?'_

'_Mar. 29__th__, this cannot be a coincidence, R. sick once a month?'_

'_Apr. 28__th__, it's a full moon tonight… we should check back… R. not here, supposedly at home'_

'_May 28__th, __we were right R. says he's ill once again…he'll be back in a day or two with more minor injuries'_

'_May 30__th__, R. still not back must have been bad… should we tell him we know? Wonder if he's scared to tell us… he shouldn't be.'_

'_June 1__st__, R. STILL not back… worried sick. We miss him too. S. and I discussed it, we're telling him tonight when he gets back.'_

_My eyes glazed over with tears that threatened to spill on to all of these scraps of parchment. James hand that had been gripping my arm moved down to gently squeeze my wrist, while Sirius gripped my shoulder a little too tightly and said, "Remus we're your friends because of who you are… not what you are… and what you are is never going to change that."_

_I hastily wiped at my face, "Does Peter know?" I asked willing my voice to stop shaking._

_James nodded, "I hope you don't mind, I told him. I figured he would freak out otherwise… and there's no reason to freak out, you are still you, Remus… still the book-worm, know-it-all, the teacher's pet we love." James teased with a grin on his face._

_My heart soared, this was incredible. They weren't going to abandon me; my friends were still my friends. And not only that, they were the greatest friends anyone could ever ask for. "You know, if you guys paid as much attention to Professor Binns as you did to me, you wouldn't have to copy my notes all the time."_

* * *

I repeated the names Greyback had given me over and over in my head as I packed up my few belongings and prepared to leave the den. I only hoped that I reached the names first before any of the other werewolves did. Otherwise, it would be their last day.

Another meeting had come around and this time I had lots to say. Tonks hadn't even sat across from me this time. She had sat down slowly, looking older then she was with heavy bags under her eyes and her still-brown hair limp and unkempt. My heart broke a little for her own broken heart, but there was no way that I could ever be with her. It wouldn't be fair to her.

Kingsley took a seat next to me and clapped me a little too hard on the back. I smiled genuinely at him, glad to be amongst wizards again, "Remus, how are you doing?" he asked in low and strangely comforting voice.

I gave a weak smile in return, "I've been better," I replied, motioning to the calendar which sat on the wall above the counter and had numerous memos written across it. The full moon was approaching quickly.

"Of course," Kingsley nodded, showing me he understood.

Molly was counting heads and said, "Well, I think everyone's here, let's begin…Remus, you had something to say."

I cleared my throat and nodded, "The rogue werewolves that Greyback has suggested I hunt down are named Nathaniel Hopkins, Carolyn Price, Simon Underson, and Sylvia Bessington. Unfortunately, Bessington was found dead earlier today. I have a lead on Hopkins though and am hoping to catch him before the next full moon. If you hear of anything, please let me know."

The meeting continued as others shared their news, both good and bad about the fight against Voldemort. After the meeting Molly offers me a place to stay, since she now has so many empty bedrooms and I haven't slept somewhere warm in close to a year. It's very tempting, but the night is the best time to be hunting werewolves and I had best get started. I politely decline, and she gives me a quick hug and warns me to be safe. I smile back at her as I give a wave to Arthur then head out the door.

Hunting is second nature to me, as much as I hate to think it. As I head to where my lead to Hopkins promised to meet me, I find myself doing something that had become a habit in the last few months: delving once again into my memories of Hogwarts and of Peter, Remus, Sirius, James and Lily.

* * *

_The summer between first and second year flew by in a sea of letters and homework. The full moons passed fairly painlessly, luckily. That I always knew that there would be at least two, if not three (Peter didn't have the best memory) letters waiting for me made it easier._

_Before I knew it, I was back on Platform 9¾ waiting for the Hogwarts Express and my friends. I kept standing on my tiptoes peering keeping an eye out for them. Suddenly, I was tackled from behind, and my own name was being shouted in my ear by an overexcited familiar voice._

"_REMUS!" Sirius had tackled me so hard we both landed in a heap on the floor, "How was your summer? You know… the summer nights?" He winked obviously at me as he helped me up and I rolled my eyes._

"_Not too bad, Sirius, how was your summer?" I asked, a grin spreading across my face at the sight of my dark haired, naturally handsome, friend._

_Sirius wrinkled his nose, "Mum was bonkers as usual, Dad was pureblood this pureblood that, and Regulus - the little prat - is parading around telling everyone he's going to be in Slytherin like a proper Black should."_

"_OI!" Someone to our right was shouting and we turned to see James, his hair as messy as ever, jogging towards us. Sirius embraced James so tightly and so unexpectedly that he knocked James' glasses off his face, until they were hanging quite comically off one ear. "Hello to you to Sirius," James said though it was muffled by the arm Sirius had wrapped around him. James fixed his glasses and pulled away, as Sirius informed James._

"_Next year, I'm coming to stay at your place for the holidays, I mean it."_

_James laughed and shook my hand, "Nice to see you Remus…how goes the…furry little problem?"_

_Sirius burst out laughing while I raised an eyebrow._

"_Furry little problem?" I asked._

"_I was trying to come up with a code all summer, I mean… last year we never really go to talk about it." James shrugged, "If you don't mind I have some questions."_

_I shook my head. As long as James, Peter and Sirius were still my friends I would answer their questions. "I have some questions about the code name." I replied with a slight wink as we finally spotted Peter and waved us over to him._

_Peter squeaked with delight, "Hey guys!" he said excitedly, "I went to France this summer, and I met this guy who goes to Beauxbaton (he pronounced this horribly wrong) and he gave me all these sweets from France. I saved some for you guys."_

_We cheered Peter on as the whistle blew and we dragged ourselves and our trunks onto the scarlet train._

* * *

AN: If there's anything in particular you'd like to see through a flashback please let me know in a review! If not review anyway, haha! Hope you liked this installment of Furry Little Problem.


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: Oh dear, it's exam time. Currently in the library studying for my first two out of five exams :O. Still found time for you guys though!**

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_I shot an extremely apologetic look at Professor Flitwick when I hurried into class several minutes late. I slid into my arranged seat (Professor Flitwick had created a seating chart after Sirius and James levitated the bookshelves, sending books flying and causing many – thankfully minor –injuries) beside Lily Evans._

"_Good afternoon, Remus." Lily said, "Where have you been for the past few days?"_

_My heart hammers a little as I filled Lily in with the fake story I had concocted, "You know… that my mother is ill, right?" _

_Lily looked shock, "No, I didn't, I'm sorry Remus."_

"_I've been home to visit her a few times… but it doesn't look good." I shrugged my shoulders hating the lie._

_Lily smiled a sympathetic smile and pushed over her charms notes. I smiled gratefully, neither James nor Sirius bothered to pay attention in charms._

_I glanced over at my friends who were making faces at each other from opposite sides of the classroom. Sirius noticed me and over exaggerated a wink in my direction, while lazily flicking his wand and completing the charm correctly._

_Lily followed my gaze and James dropped his wand then hit his head on his desk diving to retrieve it while Sirius roared with laughter and Peter let out a quiet squeaky laugh before returning his concentration to the object he was supposed to be charming._

_Lily turned towards the front, "I'll never understand how you are friends with those buffoons."_

"_Well, to be fair Lily, you don't really know them all that well… you don't really know me all that well." I defended my idiotic friends, who were the best idiotic friends anyone could ever ask for._

"_I know that you are a straight A student and that they spend most of their time in detention. I know that they disrupt class when you could teach the class. I know that James Potter is an arrogant toe-rag and that Sirius Black is only in Gryffindor to spite his mother… they think they are the best on the Quidditch field and off, but they're not. And the way they treat Peter… like half-pet half-servant, I've never seen you do that. You're much kinder, you're much smarter and you are a much better person all around. So why are they your friends?"_

_I laughed at Lily's rant, as I finished duplicating her perfectly legible handwriting onto my own sheet of parchment. "Lily, while most of those things you say are true, there's so much more that makes them worthy of being my friends…" I paused here, "And I'm not such a good person, I'm really not."_

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"Nathaniel Hopkins, I presume?" I asked the young man (couldn't have been more than 18) with the blonde curls and green eyes.

Nathaniel took a few steps back, settled into a low crouch ready to pounce if he needed to, "How did you find me?"

"A mutual friend informed of your whereabouts," I waved this piece of information off nonchalantly.

"I don't have any friends." Nathaniel growled, "Not since they found out…" he trailed off.

"Found out you are a werewolf Mr. Hopkins?" I asked feeling a slight grin coming to my face.

Nathaniel looks taken aback, "How did you know?"

"Well…" I began, "for one, I'm a werewolf too, so I noticed you immediately of course. And two, I have been an undercover spy in Greyback's pack for the past several months, you know who Greyback is?"

Nathaniel nodded but did not relax his position. "Undercover spy? For what?"

I quickly explained the whole situation, finishing with, "Nathaniel, Greyback sent me to find and kill you and the other rogue werewolves as well."

Nathaniel set his jaw. "Well, so are you going to kill me or what?"

"No, I'm not. What have you been doing to survive the full moons Nathaniel?"

"My father is an expert potions brewer. He taught me how to make the wolfsbane potion. I use it frequently, except… not for the last two months. My father was murdered. Greyback came back for me, as if ruining my life once wasn't enough."

"Can you use magic Nathaniel? Or should I say, do you consider yourself a wizard as well as a werewolf?" I asked, trying to coax the scared young man into trusting me when no one had trusted him.

"Yes. I wanted to go to school, but Mama said it was too dangerous for the other kids, I was homeschooled instead." He explained.

"I went to Hogwarts." Sharing information is a key tactic in helping gain people's trust, "I made great friends there. Did you live in a magical village?"

"On the outskirts of one yes," Nathaniel nodded, "When it wasn't the full moon I would play with the other children there…"

"I met one of those friends you used to play with. She had figured out what you were and kept it a secret all these years, until she ran into me and found out I could help you. The Order of the Phoenix wants to offer you their protection and in return if you are willing would like you to aid in our fight against Voldemort." I explained.

Nathaniel straightened slowly, shivering at the mention of his name. "You want to help me?" he asked, his voice filled with tentative hope. He had been let down before.

"Of course I do." I told him gently, "Out of all the people who claim they understand, I'm one of the few who actually does. I used to teach at Hogwarts too, you know, perhaps you've heard of me. Professor Remus Lupin?"

"No way! I've heard that you were the best DADA teacher ever! And that you were sacked… because some greasy haired professor didn't like you!" He exclaimed, now sound excited.

"Well, in a nutshell yes…" I suppressed some laughter. "So what do you think Nathaniel? Do you think you could have found a friend in me? Do you think the Order of the Phoenix will be able to help you? And are you willing to fight?"

"I'm willing to fight." He responded immediately. "I think that this secret society will be able to help me… and… my friends have always called me Nathan."

"Well, then Nathan, let me take to you to meet Fred and George. I think you'll like them."

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_The time at Hogwarts always passed by in a flurry of celebrations, detentions, homework, and well, to put it plainly, magic. Most of these memories were good ones, filled with laughter and learning. Of course, there are the bad ones that creep in just before I close my eyes at night. The hours and days I spent in the Hospital Wing after a particularly rough full moon. The full moons before Sirius, James and Peter became Animagus, and it was just me alone in the Shrieking Shack, unable to attack anything except for myself and the furniture that surrounded me. The prejudices I had to face from those who were aware of my condition. One professor in particular comes to mind._

_Third year is usually the year (I taught Harry in his third year) that the Hogwart's Defense Against the Dark Arts professor chooses to concentrate on the dark and sometimes dangerous (if not handled properly) creatures of the magical world. Of course, this means near the end of the third year, students are informed about werewolves._

_Our professor that year was Ichabod Youngstein, an older man with a grey beard and a bald head. He wore tiny square spectacles that perched on the edge of his noise and talked in a deep booming voice. For the most part, he was an adequate teacher. However, he was completely insensitive when it came to how his students were feeling._

_I was already nervous about the approaching full moon and so when we sat down and Professor Youngstein ordered us to open our textbooks to page 357, and I became much more pale when I saw the title at the top of the page._

_**How to Identify a Werewolf**_

_James and Sirius who sat on either side of me and had also opened their textbooks, turned and looked at me. James frowned, a crease appearing between his brows and Sirius let out a low growl. Peter, who was to the left of James, finally found the right page, and let out a sympathetic little sound, before opening his mouth only to have James hush him. "I'm alright," I sighed, reassuring my overprotective friends, "It had to happen sometime." I keep my voice to a whisper so only James, Sirius and Peter can hear me._

_Professor Youngstein began his lecture, "Werewolves are very dangerous creatures. They of course, start out as humans, but once bitten they become something completely unrecognizable."_

_I felt a frown form on my own face as I stared blankly at my open textbook. "Most werewolves are bitten as children…"_

_A painful memory comes into my head of my screams and an intense pain. My hands curl into fists at my sides. "The children then lose all sense of innocence becoming monsters overnight…"_

_I remember Dumbledore coming to speak with my parents directly after they had written him back concerned about mine and other students' safety. Dumbledore reassuring me that all the teachers would be aware of my condition and would be able to intervene in an emergency, but there would be no emergencies because the proper precautions had been made._

_This realization just makes me angry, and I am now aware that Professor Ichabod Youngstein is targeting me on purpose. "Every full moon, approximately once a month, the human-looking beasts become full-fledged werewolves. They are ghastly, vile creatures who are some of the most dangerous magical creatures in existence…"_

_My vision is blurred by tears as each insult repeated over and over again in my head. I could not leave though; then it would have become obvious. Sirius glared daggers at Professor Youngstein and James was visibly shaking with anger, while Peter kept throwing me concerned looks every three seconds or so._

_James thrusts his hand into the air._

"_Mr. Potter," the ignorant professor acknowledges James._

"_Is it not true that werewolves were once wizards and so they can still use magic?" he asked his voice calm and cool._

"_Yes Mr. Potter, werewolves do remain the ability to perform magic which makes them all the more dangerous. Any creature who can pass as a human, obtain a wand and then use it while they are a dark creature is much more dangerous than a dark creature by itself," Youngstein made eye-contact with me and I could hardly believe the smug look that was on his face._

_Sirius growled again and raised his hand this time, "But sir – it's not a werewolf's fault if they've been changed. They can't help it, you said it yourself most of them are children, right?"_

"_Right, those are the children whose parents should have been protecting them. Or it's the parents fault for angering a werewolf in the first place…or children who broke the rules and were attacked because of their own stupidity, that's who gets bitten. Well-behaved, rule-abiding children with decent parents do not get bitten by werewolves. Now, that's enough questions, you will all read the chapter on How to Recognize a Werewolf and answer questions one through twenty, due next class. You may begin now."_

_I continued to stare through tear-filled eyes at the page, never turning it as the other around me scrambled to pull out parchment and quills or else just bury their noses in the books. What if people made connections? What if people found out? Not everyone would be as understanding as my friends. James purposefully dropped his quill on the floor so he could lean his head down next to mine and whispered, "Are you okay Remus?"_

_I did not answer him with a vocal response, just shaking my head. He turned to look at me, practically sideways and continued his whisper, "Professor Icky's a prat… and a git."_

_I said nothing, still willing tears not to fall down my face. James gave my shoulder a quick squeeze as he returned to his upright position. Sirius was still glaring at Professor Youngstein, and appeared to be biting his tongue._

_Finally, after another forty-five minutes of pure torture, silence except for the scratching of quills the bell rang. My friends packed up quickly, and then stood waiting for me, as I hid my face in my shoulder and put my belongings in my bag as slowly as possible. Professor Youngstein had exited the class quickly at the bell, and the rest of the students were following him out. _

_From my peripheral vision I saw the flash of Lily's red hair as she exited the classroom, I overheard her say to her friend, "I don't really agree with Professor Youngstein…it seems like he has the same attitude about werewolves that some Purebloods have about Muggleborn wizards and witches."_

_My heart swelled grateful to hear that at least someone else (not including my closest friends of course) thought that our professor was wrong. Sirius interrupted my thoughts when he burst out what he must have been holding back for the entire lesson._

"_I am going to kill him!" he exclaimed standing and banging his fist on the desk in front of him. I simply shook my head at him and sighed._

"_No, Sirius, you can't do that, but… thank you…"_

"_Why not, Remus? He was so unfair and it's just wrong…and I am just so mad… how are you not mad?" Sirius ranted._

"_I have always been aware of the prejudices that arise from my… ahem, furry little problem…"I shrugged. "I can't be mad at people for having an opinion."_

"_Even if it's a stupid one?" Sirius asked._

_I chuckled, "Even a stupid opinion."_

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**AN: LONG chapter. There will hopefully be more soon, but as I said it is exam time.**


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